December 27th: The Demon Hyuuga
by Crazed Inventor Lucca
Summary: The demon destroyed. Now the seal is placed upon the newborn Hinata, and the renowned clan suffers a heavy blow. Will she find light in her prison from the world? Remake of the entire Naruto Series
1. The Girl Next Door

The winter's chilling air settles across Konoha, A battle truly defying death now gruelingly over. The Hokage had made a terrible sacrifice and now the demon that once threatened all life in the forested village lay at rest. His last words called to the Third, asking that to demon be sealed into a young body, a newborn baby. An uneasy stare came from a blank eyed man standing not far away. This news troubled his already uneasy heart.

Not long after, the ceremony began to take place. A young newborn child with eyes as blue as a clear noon sky was chosen as the jailor to the beast. The blank eyed man stared with rage and hatred as the sealing commenced. His hands gripped tighter as the time lingered on. The baby's ceaseless crying felt as though a drill was placed through his temple. What hours seemed to pass as the seal soon came to a close. The baby was returned to the arms of the father, whom only looked at the child's face, not her eyes. The child sensed his displeasure and sunk her head and hid her eyes from his gaze.

Returning home, the man was greeted by a young women. Her hair long, so long in fact that she must tie the last foot back up with a ribbon to prevent it from dragging across the floor. The woman took the baby from the stern hands of the father and held the baby close to her face. The baby's joy filled the hollow halls and her laughter echoed through. The man uneasily stepped through the halls and readied for the nights meeting. The woman barely knew what this would be about.

"We must make a choice. We can not allow this...this thing to bare the Hyuuga name."

"What are we to do? Simply kill the baby? Then have the entire village think we are some type of child murderers?"

"Enough!" Hiashi entered the room with an angered yell. "I have thought this long and through, I will not have an heiress with such a being inside her. We hide all records of her birth and deny it at all costs. If anyone allows her existence to slip out, they will face the highest punishment."

"A-Are you sure, Lord Hiashi? Isn't this a little rash?"

"She will be fine. I'll have Hizumi make sure"

With simple nods of the head from each individual, the meeting was adjourned. The fate of a simple baby, sealed.

\/\/\/

6 Years pass...

"Hey! Can't catch me? Come on?! You're the village's elite guards!? You're gonna let a snot nosed brat like me get away with that?"

"Get 'em!" The black robbed men chased the eccentric blonde across the town, the group took him on all sides.

"No way you can escape now kid!" The men closed in and leapt to grab him.

The blonde boy placed his hands into a hand sign. "Mini-Clone Jutsu!" The orange clad boy popped into a hundred smaller versions before the men could grab him. Each spread apart into several deep reserves of in the town. The ANBU men just sighed and looked at each other.

"Failed again. Well, thankfully it's only chalk. He can wash it off when the Hokage has a word with him."

Mean while, the boy was having fun being chased. So he decided to get more people after him. Nearing the famous Hyuuga compound, he spotted the gate guards. He got a big smile and dropped his drawers, slapping his butt tauntingly to provoke the guards.

"Hey you lifeless drones, come get me! You gonna let me get away with this?!" Naruto quickly zipped up his pants and jumped away.

The guards quickly gave chase, having much better speed then the ANBU that had been in pursuit earlier.

Naruto jumped from branch to branch and even into Hyuuga grounds to evade many of the attempts of capture and the objects thrown. Eventually, he came to a corner of the grounds and found a cliff that prevented a quick leap to safety.

"Uh-oh, gotta think of something!" Naruto quickly used the Mini-Clone Jutsu and burst into smaller pieces. The Hyuuga guards took no time in attacking each clone. The real Naruto quickly managed to sneak away unnoticed into a near by cabin. After destroying each clone the guards headed back to their posts, assuming he made a hasty retreat. Naruto grew back to original size and let out a sigh of relief.

"Whoo, man, last time I do that again!"

A small scared gasp from the corner of the room grabbed Naruto's attention. A chill went through Naruto's spine as he forced his head to slowly turn towards the sound that came from behind. When he locked eyes with a shivering object in the corner, he let out a shriek of horror, causing the same panic to the object. Screams of terror were shared for a small moment until both calmed down and opened their eyes once more. Naruto looked closer at the object; he noticed rags, arms and legs, even eyes, blank, deep, blue eyes.

"Y-Y-You're...a person...aren't you?"

"Mm-mm." The voice was cracked and still scared.

"What are you doing here? You look like you've been locked up for ages!"

The youth turned away from the boy, fearing to tell her story.

"Why are you here? And dressed in rags? Are...Are you hiding from somebody?"

The girl just whimpered as memories passed through her head, still too scared to even reply.

"Come on, say something. Can I at least have a name?"

The girl looked back, seeing the puppy dog eyes of the boy touched her heart, and it warmed her in the cold weather. "H-H...Hinata...Hy-" She stopped herself, remembering the final words of the one who locked her in this abandoned old shack "_If you tell anyone you are a Hyuuga, I'll have you locked in here forever!_" "Hinata, just...Hinata"

"Hinata..." The boy thought about the name for a second. "Sounds cute, it fits you. I'm Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. And I'm gonna be Hokage one day...and a prankster on the side." He smiled at his comment.

"Y-You shouldn't be here. I-If you are found here, they'll kill you...and...and me..."

"Whoa, come on! No one's that nasty, why would they want to do that?"

"I'm...I'm...not welcome here..." It was all she could muster.

"Hmm, you sound hungry. Think I can get you some food?" Naruto stood up and began carving a symbol into a plank of wood on the wall.

"Wait! What are you doing!"

"Relax, its part of a jutsu. It lets me go back and forth without notice. Its how I get around town and escape the ANBU easily." Naruto finished the seal and looked at the girl with a face only a hero would use. "I hope ramen is ok." With a puff of smoke, Naruto disappeared.

Minutes passed. The girl merely stared at the spot the boy was once standing in, amazed at his abilities for a youth her own age. In an instant of a blink, Naruto returned with two bowls off pork ramen, two pairs of chopsticks, and some napkins.

"Come on eat up, I'm sure the smell will give me away soon." Naruto politely started to eat his ramen, and prompted the blue haired girl to have hers.

Several feelings rushed through her: the feeling of being accepted, of being known, afraid of what might happen if this was found out. Why this boy felt so compelled to have her feel like everyone else. The smell of the ramen was distracting her train of thought; she soon felt a feral urge to gorge herself.

She practically fell face first into the bowl as she slurped it without another breath. She lifted her head out of the bowl to see the shocked face of the young Naruto, his upper lip twitching with his eye.

"Um...sorry, I-I haven't had much to eat..."

"Whoa, I was trying to be polite, but looks like you're a regular Joe yourself. Hey, I'll take the bowl and I'll stop by again. And keep smiling, you'll ruin that pretty face of yours." Naruto grabbed all the items he brought and disappeared via his seal.

Hinata merely sighed, having her moment of happiness just leave. She sat in her corner with new outlook on the world outside her confined hut. A glimpse of only what was to come...

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forgive my earlier upload, I had loaded the wrong document (The beta version) and did not relize it. Here is the actual version, I will make sure to check my documents more thoroughly before aploading next time.


	2. How Deep Does This Go

December 27th

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Two years passed for the child couple. Hinata found herself soon dressing up in the clothes Naruto had delivered on several lunch occasions, hiding them in a box buried underground hidden in the hay. Naruto had learnt that ramen was not always the best choice to greet her with. He occasionally went to other restaurants and ordered healthier choices.

It was the second anniversary of their meeting. Naruto was planning a special lunch; he had the food being prepared at home by Karei-sensei. He just needed flowers, but not just any flowers, perfect ones that would light up that dimly lit cabin. Naruto spotted a huge patch of flowers of every color and shape. His eyes widened as he jumped the fence. He spotted a perfect blue tulip, and bent down to pick it up. The moment his hand touched a leaf, he felt something grab his leg and toss him to the air. Moments before he collided face first with the earth, something grabbed his legs and wrapped around them, supporting him inches from the ground. A girl clad in green walked up slowly to the boy, her smile growing bigger with each step. She kneeled down to be at eye level with the boy and laughed smugly.

"Picking my garden again, Naruto?" The girl placed her hand on his forehead and gave a gentle smile. "Why not buy them at the store like everyone else?"

"Kaben Ha, caught me again?"

"You're not that hard to predict, kid" She released the vines that held his legs, having him fall on his face "So, what brings his mightiness to petty theft?"

"Haha," he replied sarcastically. "It's nothing special."

"So you _are_ committing petty theft?"

"I'm not stealing! I'm...just borrowing."

"It's for a girl, isn't it?"

"Errgh, can't pull the wool over your eyes." It was at this point that Naruto noticed the girl's apparel.

She wore an odd gathering of leaves, vines, and other objects of nature. Large leaves patterned her chest, smaller leaves linked together to a dress that fell down just past her knees. A flower bud was placed above each ear, pink on her right, and a bright yellow on her left. Her green hair and eyes seemed to be unnatural, yet befitted her looks. Naruto merely coughed to break his long silence.

"Take it."

Naruto blinked once, not quite catching her words.

"Take it, but you're gonna help me tend to this garden later!" She turned and left with a giggle.

Naruto looked over at the tulip. It was cut and wrapped already. Naruto just scratched his head and headed out.

Naruto set up the meal in his apartment. Candles were lit, there was a cloth over the table, Barry White played in the background...

"What!?"

Oh, uh, sorry...

Karei stepped out of the kitchen and distributed the meal. She looked at the boy with a smile, "Best get your guest here, I don't want my meal to get cold."

"Right." Naruto placed his hand on the symbol and teleported.

\/\/\/

Hinata was pacing in her hut, her hands placed together tensely. Though she was smiling, her eyes showed her stress and tension. The sound of Naruto appearing nearly forced her heart to burst from her chest. Naruto laughed sheepishly as he extended his hand, not lifting his other from the seal.

"A-Are we not eating here?" Hinata could feel her fear returning.

"No, I thought I'd take you to my home; I got everything ready. Come on!"

"NO, no I can't! You'll get me killed!" Hinata retreated from his grasp.

"Hinata? What's wrong? You can't honestly want to stay in here?"

Before Hinata could respond, the sound of steps in the grass alerted her attention. "Quickly! Get out of here!" Hinata pushed Naruto away.

Naruto activated his jutsu, leaving in a flash. The door opened to reveal Hiashi staring into the hut, the smoke clearing.

"Girl! Child, where are you!?" The smoke settled and Hiashi had a look of anger come to his face. Nothing was in the hut. His gaze shifted to a symbol on a plank. He placed his hand on it and focused, but nothing happened. "Grr, is that girl learning jutsus already?!" Hiashi stormed out from the cabin and returns returned to his chambers, plotting his actions for when he found her.

\/\/\/

Naruto returned to his house, his eyes closed. Karei looked at the smoke with a smile, not seeing the girl in his grasp.

"What? She get cold feet?"

A small gasp alerted both of them. Naruto felt something release from his leg.

"H...Hinata?"

Hinata crawled out from the clearing smoke and gasped. Her eyes were as wide as an animal's would have been in the same situation. The odd lighting of the room set something off. She was almost in tears.

Karei quickly stepped towards the girl and held her hand, comforting her the best she could. "Naruto, run some cold water and get a place comfortable for her to rest."

Naruto just nodded and did as he was told.

Minutes later, Hinata's complication returned, as did her calm, shy stature. Karei was simply stroking her hair as she shushed and hummed a tune. Naruto was sitting in the corner, trying not to look at Hinata. Eventually, she broke the silence.

"This isn't good; I'm not going to make it home. Father's going to kill me!"

"Wait" Karei looked closely at the girl in her arms and she gasped, almost in fear. "Y-You're the Hyuuga child! Aren't you?"

Hinata broke away from her grasp and gave her a look that turned Karei's gaze to a slumped saddened gesture.

"Well, she was in a shed in the Hyuuga grounds; I thought she was a run away. Why is being the Hyuuga girl so important?"

Karei was silent, as to not break the law. "I can't tell you, only she can."

"Stop! Take me home!" Hinata closed her eyes and hid her head inside her arms, forbidding anyone from looking her in the face.

"Wait, Hinata!"

"Enough." Karei placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I'll take her home and explain this to the household head. Naruto, clean up, I'll be back to tuck you in."

"Right, good night Hinata."

Naruto's comment broke her fear and behind her arms her eyes softened. A small smile was all she could muster before Karei picked her up and leapt out the window.

Karei appeared in front of the gates; the guards merely froze as they saw the child in her arms. They took a step towards her and she just coughed aggressively to keep them back. She headed to the doors of the compound and knocked on the door hard.

Hiashi opened it with his casual intimidating gaze. Karei was not intimidated one bit.

"What could you be thinking!?" Karei raised her hands to slap the man but he stopped her before she could even lift her arm.

"I'll take that." He grabbed the bundled child and closed the door. Karei responded from behind the thick wood.

"And what do I get for keeping my mouth closed about this?"

Hiashi stopped; he turned and reopened the door. "You can _walk_ off our compound, as apposed to being _escorted._" Then he closed the door.

"Hmm, well, at least the kid will be alive"

\/\/\/

Naruto was cozy in his bed, the night slowly creeping up the horizon. Karei entered the room and looked at the boy, her smile faded slightly, but she held it as to get one back from the boy. She tucked him in and set off to her own bed, thinking of what might happen if this judgment keeps going.

"She'll be free...soon enough..."

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I'd like to thank Gaara, for coming up with the word "intimidating" To describe Hiashi's stare (I'm so stupid! why couldn't i think of that SLAP! ). And also for him and viewers, Kaben Ha is her full name.


	3. A Gift Ungiven

December 27th

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Naruto arrived at the young gardening girl's house early morning the next day. Karei had packed things he may have needed for his tasks; a small trowel, gloves, and a spade. He knocked twice and waited for a reply.

Kaben called out from the back of the house. Naruto hopped over the fence and looked at her garden. It looked as though she had fifty new buds since yesterday. He let out a small breath of surprise. Keben placed her hand on his jaw and closed his mouth.

"I don't need flies in my garden, Naruto," she said with a playful smile.

"Oh, hehe, sorry." He scratched his head sheepishly. "So, what do I need to do?"

"Spot any bugs that aren't a yellow or an orange color. Kill them before they plant eggs in my flowers, and don't hurt the merchandise either."

"That all?" Naruto seemed confused.

"Yes. Shamed to say, but my garden is different from everyone else's. My family uses flowers to establish jutsus. My dad just can't control all his bugs when he is away on assignments."

"These are your dad's bugs? Wait, like the Aburame's?"

"No, they use destruction beetles. Dad just controls a swarm of random pests and bugs. They get hungry and head here; Dad has them scared to enter his and mother's gardens."

Naruto didn't ask further questions. He just turned and did his job as a look out.

Almost twenty minutes passed before another word was shared between the two. Naruto never found any bugs and Kaben finished rearranging her garden. She and the boy sat at a bench near her garden when Kaben turned to Naruto.

"So, your plans not go so well?"

"What?" Naruto had to take a moment to remember what she was talking about. "Oh, yeah...She was scared to come out of that abandoned shack."

"What? This girl was placed in a shack? That is sickening!"

"Don't say anything! She seemed scared to leave it; she didn't want to be discovered for some reason."

"Hmm, I'll need to talk with the grass then."

"Wh-Wait?. D'you say 'Talk to the grass'?"

"Another trait. You can go. I'm sure you'll have better luck next time."

Naruto blinked at her immediate dismissal, missing every possible explanation he could think of. "Yeah, uh, ok, see you then..."

Naruto walked off back home; Kaben didn't move an inch as he turned a corner.

The pink bud on her ear opened up as she removed it from her hair. She looked at it with a neutral emphasis. "Flower sight jutsu" The flower filled with water and an image of Hinata appeared in its reflection. Kaben just looked through it with curiosity. "Get a look outside this room," she spoke to the flower. The image slowly moved out a nearby crack and viewed the outside of the wooden structure and it peered in; Kaben just gasped.

"The Hyuuga's! That boy picks strangely." The bud closed and she put it back to its resting place on her ear. She stood up and held her arm out and a vine whipped out and latched on to a branch as it lifted her to the tree. She swung from branch to branch following the trail to Hinata's prison. She used aromas from her arsenal of jutsus to either divert attention from her or incapacitate the guards around the grounds. She soon came up to the cabin and looked at it with a small bit of rage. She used her sight jutsu once more to look around the grounds; no one was in sight. She then took her gaze inside the cabin. Hinata was still there, her face hidden by her arms and legs.

Kaben retreated higher up the tree and cupped her hands together activating a substitution jutsu that left behind an image of herself in pink petals. Kaben reappeared inside the cabin with a small drift of wind. Her gaze locked on the small girl at her feet.

"Hinata, I assume?"

Hinata looked up at the girl, her eyes were red from all her crying. She didn't reply, she only assumed a rejected posture and hoping to have her visitor leave.

"I know what happened between you and Naruto. The grass has a mouth and vocals talks to me."

"Leave, before it happens again."

"Why are you here, tell me that much. Tell me and I won't enter this cabin again."

Hinata nearly shot a gaze of hate at the green clad girl. But it softened the moment after. "Father...Hiashi-sama doesn't want me to be known to the village. If anyone knows I am here then he'll kill me."

"Barbaric! And you allow this?"

"He'll kill _me!_" Hinata tried to emphasize her reasoning.

"Are you sure he will be able to? And under what right does he threaten you with this? Have you done something?"

Kaben's logic nearly caved Hinata's mind. Hinata could not muster an answer. "Just go."

"Fine, but I'll be helping Naruto next time." With a small cluster of pedals she left, the pedals blowing out a hole in the wall to eliminate any trace of a visitor.

\/\/\/

Naruto awoke early the next morning. Karei rose with a yawn as she walked over and mussed up the young blonde's hair.

"So, are you going ahead with the plan?"

"You know it. Have you set it all up?"

"Not yet, let me be dramatic once in a while." She laughed.

"Well, as long as this works out, Hinata will surely thank me."

"Well best get to Kaben's house, she is an essential item, is she not?"

"Right, gotta go!" Naruto leaped out of the window, leaping from roof to roof over to Kaben's home.

She was tending to her garden once again, placing roses in a batch to themselves and keeping them in a symmetric pattern. Naruto was careful not to land on soft soil or flowers. Kaben finished up with her work and nodded at the boy.

"What if she is uneager to come?"

"Then explain to her what we are doing, just don't tell her I'm going to take all the blame if it all goes downhill. I don't need her worrying about me."

"And if not then?"

"Bring me there and stay at the academy. I'll be sure to bring her."

"Okay then." Kaben swung her way to the encampment as Naruto headed to the academy.

Kaben sat at her tree and began another jutsu. She summoned a small amount of grass inside the cabin and spelled out responses.

_It's Kaben. Naruto has a surprise for you, and I am to transport you, unnoticed, to the location. He is not willing to accept dismissal of this offer. If you decline, he will come by and attempt to persuade you. Please avoid any further trouble._

Kaben waited for an audible response. But she was, instead, ambushed by several guards.

Kaben quickly displaced herself with a petal replicate. The guards gave chase into an open area of the woods. Kaben readied for combat as she opened a small sack of seeds on her side. She planted a blue seed and activated a jutsu.

"Germination!" A vine forced the seed into the soil and her chakra flowed through, speeding up the growth of the plant. A dozen, small blue tulips rose from the ground and sprouted into full growth.

"Ha, what are you going to do? Make bees come and kill us?"

"Chakra regeneration, my garden has many tricks." She opened her palm and a vine shot from under her long sleeves, burst through the earth, and wrapped around a guard's leg. She then pulled on the vine and pulled the guard through the ground and released her grasp, throwing him away from the battle. It was one on one.

The guard lunged at the girl. She dodged easily as she lightly struck his arm thrice. He turned and spun sharply, forcing a small wind to push her back. Kaben grabbed another seed form her pouch, a red one. She planted the seed and began the germination. The guard pressed his attack and leapt into a kick; Kaben blocked but couldn't keep her balance, forcing the next attack to come defenseless. The guard used his hand to transfer the motion into a sharp kick to her stomach. Pedaru fell to her knees and coughed up blood and a small amount of water. The guard seemed grossed out by the loss of water.

"It's sugar water, the life source of all plants." She placed her hand in the pool and used it to accelerate her jutsus germination. Nearly 30 roses rose from the ground and sprouted. Kaben then stood groggily to her feet, giving a small smile as she began another jutsu.

"Leaf Knife Jutsu!" The roses burst and the pedals stiffened as a vicious wind twirled them around the guard. Several cuts appeared as they tore his clothes and flesh, his screams muffled by the sharp wind. Kaben used a vine to pull the man out and latch him onto a tree. She then returned to her post, and began searching around.

"How did they find me?"

Hiashi appeared from the hut and looked up at the young flower girl. "You're on Hyuuga grounds, I could have you killed for this."

"You just tried, didn't you? Why hide the girl?"

Hiashi's eyes widened only slightly, fearing that this secret was slowly growing out of control. "It's not for a child's ears."

"Enlighten me. Or shall I talk to the plants in the house? I am sure they hear you grumble from time to time."

"Don't place yourself where you're not concerned girl. Remove yourself now and forget anything you know about this hut."

Kaben used a jutsu as she sat at her tree. Hiashi was unaware at what she was trying to pull. "Fine, but all I have to say is happy parenting." She left with a swing of her arm and headed of towards the academy.

Hiashi just stared angrily at the retreating girl as he took a step away from the hut. He stopped, not hearing the tears of a tortured young child. He quickly turned and burst through the door, forcing the petal clone of Hinata to drift with the shifting air. Hiashi couldn't hold in his frustration anymore. He quickly ran towards the plant child in heated pursuit.

Naruto waited at the entrance of the academy, tapping his foot rapidly, waiting for something to happen. When a giant pink flower appeared in the middle of the street, Naruto quickly ran up to it. It opened to reveal Hinata, her eyes twitching at the sudden light change, and the visage of the young girl

"Hey, welcome to school."

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Small translation error, I'm resubbmitting all chapters. No worries, it's just Pedaru's name, turns out it's a t not a d.


	4. The Garden Of Eden

December 27th

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Naruto stood at the regestrations desk. Hinata was reluctant to even take more than one step into the room. Naruto had finished signing his name when he returned and brought Hinata to the desk. The man at the desk seemed tense when Hinata picked up the pen.

"Um, s-s-s-sign here" His finger shook as he pointed to a blank spot on the page.

Hinata hesitantly wrote her name, but before she could finish, Hiashi burst through the door.

"Hinata stop this now!" His voice bounced through the empty room and it accented his anger.

Hinata dropped the pen, and then fell to her knees. Her tears instantly welled up in her eyes and began to litter the ground at her feet.

"I thought I forbade her entry to the academy!"

"You did." Karei walked into the room with a smug smile. "But I over powered your voice in the matter."

"How dare you defy the Hyuugas!"

"Oh I didn't do it. I only assumed you would take every measure to make sure Naruto here wouldn't have a chance to help your little girl. So I told the Hokage of your dealings and he naturally made a few adjustments. Even if she doesn't sign this paper, someone will train her."

Naruto smiled smugly with Karei, and she picked Hinata up and held her chin up. "Hear that? You're going to school, Hiashi's word or not."

Hinata stop crying for a second, but when she looked at her father, his gaze shot a pain up her back into the back of her head.

"Precisely." The Hokage entered the room behind Hiashi. "And you will have to train her, by decree. I disapprove of your methods thus far, locking her away for eight years. You know exactly what we are expecting. I want you act like what you are so ashamed of is not even there."

Hinata's eyes droped. Naruto seemed to be lost at this point.

"If you do not follow this precisely, I'll have your entire clan removed from the village. Do! I! Make! My! Self! Clear!?"

Hiashi stared down the Hokage, his eyes not flinching in the least. With a grunt of displeasure, he agreed. He left Leaving the room in silence.

The Hokage smiled as he approached Naruto. "I also have a bit of a bone to pick with you, Naruto. You have some cleaning up to do." His gaze shifted to the beaten Hyuuga girl. "Well, I think the students this year will be quite interesting."

The entrance creaked open and Kaben stood there with a sly look. "Seems we are all on the right track. Hiashi seems to have something shoved up his a-."

"Kaben!" A women slapped her on the back of the head.

"Sorry mom."

"Well, if it isn't Ki. How is the gardening?"

"The Hyuuga have unique tastes, that garden is also big. My work can only last so long without an attendant. And, as for the village in general; well, the Yamanaka seem to take care of most of their own works."

"Mom, why are we here again?" Kaben was clearly getting irritated by the small talk.

"To register you into the academy, yes, yes, in due time. The Hokage barely has time to be out like this you know."

"I'm sure he made time for it," Naruto snickered.

"Naruto, go with him." Karei pushed the boy across the room with her. "I'm heading out on a mission; you stay around the apartment when you get home."

"Ooh, come on."

"Now, mister!" Karei started dragging him by the ear.

Kaben signed the form and quickly returned it to her mother's hand. "Come on, I have my garden that needs tending to."

"You know, you really need to do more then than primp and perm your garden everyday. Why not spend time with that Naruto boy, or even the Hyuuga girl." Ki pointed to the dejected child across the room. Kaben felt selfish for not even saying hello to the girl.

"Perhaps. Wait here." Kaben stepped up to the girl and knelt down to her level. "Hey, you ok?"

Hinata nodded her head in response, not wanting to risk using her voice.

"Tell me, do you have gardening experience? I noticed books in that pen." Kaben cringed at her wording. "I mean, cell-er-shack-uh-help me out here..."

"I have read them..." Her voice cracked slightly. "They were mother's, they had a lot of gardening tips and some small medicine information."

"Perhaps you can join me in the garden. I could use help managing the lilies."

"A-Are you sure? You really think I can help?"

"I'm only able to manage through conversation with them, but giving them what they ask for is not always best. I'm sure you can tell what is best."

Hinata's smile brightened, and she stood up and bowed to the girl. "I'll be there soon." She walked out of the door with a new outlook on the day.

Kaben just returned to her mother's side and looked up at her. "Happy?"

"You could stand to be a little less snobbish."

"And you could spend more time at home."

The two began heading back home as their conversation continued.

"Your father and I are Junin, so I teach at the school and he takes missions. We have a large area of Konoha to ourselves, so we pay a considerable amount for our gardens. One day you'll have to do the same."

"I'm just saying. Why not take a day off and actually spend time with me? The only thing I see of dad anymore is those stupid beetles that eat my garden."

"I know, I miss him too. Many days I often wonder if he was killed. But he always comes home to a smiling wife and a happy child."

"How does he know when I'm happy? He never looks me in the eye anymore."

"You have to understand, it's the garden. Your at the age were it needs you most, just you. It can't feel threatened by your father's...guests."

"I'm beginning to hate this family's special jutsu training. It's nothing but trouble."

"You honestly have no idea of the power you're garden holds, do you? Was it not because of that garden that you met Naruto?"

"Yeah, he tried to steal a daisy."

"And now you have Hinata helping you tend to it. Isn't the garden partially to thank for that?"

"Ok, you're right. I'll be content for the day."

"I knew you'd see things my way. Now, what kind of salad for dinner?"

"I'll do fine with a mix of anything, just no meat."

"Like always." Ki laughed as she opened her door to their home. Kaben just slinked off to her garden and sat, watching it grow.

Ki prepared the dinner with a faded smile. Seeing her daughter so dejectedly insult her father and even the Ha way of life hit her hard. Minutes later, Ki noticed the Hyuuga girl approaching the gate. She opened the window and directed the girl to the back where Kaben sat.

Hinata assumed an identical posture, knowing the feeling in the air. She sat beside the girl, looking over at her occasionally.

"Something wrong?" She broke the silence.

"Just family issues. The garden is fine for now, we'll work on it when the sun is orange." She obviously meant evening.

"So, what are we going to do until then?"

"I guess we can talk, Naruto is a subject I have been wondering about since seeing his antics as a three year old."

"Hmm? What did he do then?"

"Well, you ever wonder why he says one of his hobbies is 'watering plants'?"

Hinata blinked twice, having her mind make an image of Naruto peeing on this garden.

"Precisely," Kaben said with a laugh. "Now, what about you? When you first met him, how did it feel? What did he do?"

Hinata retold the tale of Naruto's first steps into her life. How his acceptance made her feel like a true person, how her prison soon felt like just a break from perfection, knowing it would come again soon. Eventually Kaben just started to snicker, turning into a fit laughter.

"Man, I never thought of Naruto as such the romantic. So, why were you even is that shack in the first place? I honestly can't see a reason for you to be locked up at the age of 5."

"I was never told, he just tossed me in and told me if anyone knew about me..."

"Cruel. I can't believe a father can do that to someone. I'm suddenly thankful for what little of my father I see. But I wonder about Naruto. No mother or father. He's only had Karei since he was 2, she's done a good job as a stand in mother, but having no father must really affect him."

"You mean, Karei is not his real mother?"

"No, they were killed defending the village from the demon fox. As far as I know, he holds a grudge against that fox. But he hides his anger in his pranks, he just wants attention from someone."

The sun's bright glow began to fade, so Kaben took Hinata's hand and directed her to a small patch of flowers. She explained her problems with their growth and Hinata went and grabbed gardening tools to do the job. After much silence and hard labor, the gardening was done. And Kaben and Hinata had a new band on their friendship.

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I feel i must once again thank my Beta; Gaara. Once again nice job and thanks for all this help so far. And thank all of you readers for your support.


	5. Something Sinister

December 27th

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The first day of school was the most harsh for Hinata. Students and teachers eyeing her with spite and hatred forced an invisible weight to bind itself to her shoulders. Many made comments behind her back; others just turned away because of her family's renowned power. She felt alone in the sea of people. Every step echoed in her ears as they each took a small piece of her happiness with them. She was about to break when Kaben's voice broke her sorrowful trance.

"Hinata over here, ignore them all. Nothing they say has value."

Hinata smiled as she rushed over to Kaben. On the way, a student extended his leg and tripped the girl. Hinata was almost face first into the wooden planks when something grabbed her shoulders and held her up. It gently lifted her to her feet and patted her on the back, and Naruto's voice then burst in anger.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?"

"What are you gonna do about it, punk?" The kid just sneered at the small boy.

"This!" Naruto threw his fist straight into the kid's stomach and forced him to the ground. "Anyone else!?" Naruto spun around the hall, using his best intimidating look. No one moved an inch. "Better. Come on Hinata, let's get to class."

Despite Naruto and Kaben's kindness towards Hinata, her day only beginning. Teachers dismissed her comments and questions, belittling her for not getting it. Even key training instructors were giving her little information on matters of importance in subjects like basic ninja tool training, dealing with enemy ninja, and the possibility of killing, everything that was key to succesful ninja graduation. Hinata felt as though she was still prisoner to that darkened hut, where everything around her was meant to hinder her further, preventing her from true happiness.

For four years Hinata was ill-trained and unprepared as a ninja. She felt too bad to even tell Naruto or Kaben of the harshness of her mentors. Eventually the graduation exams would make or break her dreams. Knowing only what she could teach herself, she hoped she would be able to manage.

On her way to class, the kid from before stood in her way, making it impossible to pass. Hinata only hoped he would not provoke anything.

"Hey, weirdo! Where ya goin'?"

"P-Please, I-I must make it to exams..."

"Exams? Why you even bothering, you ain't gonna make it. Just go home!"

"P-Please..."

The kid pushed her back, and then laughed smugly. "What's wrong with you? Aren't you a Hyuuga? Come on and show me that 'Strength' you all possess."

Hinata clenched her hand, holding back tears of defeat. She was about to get up when another kid rushed through the halls, pushing her over to get to her oppressor. "Boss, Naruto's at it again, this time he's really gonna get it! You gotta watch!"

"What's he doing this time?"

"You just gotta come watch, it's gonna get him killed!" The boy left in a flash, as did the other.

Hinata just sobbed lightly as Kaben appeared to pick her up. They headed to a nearby window and looked outside. Naruto was being chased by Junin through the streets, his art was plastered all over the Hokage monument. Naruto was easily able to out maneuver the men chasing him and hide without notice.

"Suckers, they'll never catch me."

"Oh really, Naruto?" Iruka stood behind him, His pose as dominant as his voice. "You should be in class! Not out here goofing off!"

"I'm not goofing off!" Naruto held his ground.

"Then why defile the Hokage monument?"

"You won't understand! I'll do what I want."

"Naruto, just come to class."

"Fine." Naruto dragged his feet back to the academy.

"Ok, now that Naruto is done with today's eventful activities, we shall continue with today's test; The transformation jutsu. Sakura, you're first."

Sakura stepped up and performed a perfect jutsu, replicating Iruka's image.

"Good, Sasuke?"

"Did you see me, Sasuke?" Sakura looked at the dark haired boy with admiration only to be ignored.

Again, another perfect transformation was completed.

"Good, Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto stepped up with a small grin. He held his hands together and performed the jutsu. Smoke blasted out from his feet and flowed around him, now in the image of a naked blonde woman.

Iruka was nearly shocked into a coma with such slander. Naruto deactivated the jutsu and laughed.

"That was my sexy jutsu. How do you like that sensei?" WHAM! "Ow!"

"Enough of your stupid pranks!" Iruka marked Naruto's score and sat back down.

"Hinata Hyuuga."

The timid girl walked up and bowed in respect. She placed her hands together and began to gather chakra for the jutsu. "_Naruto-kun...I admire your strength for me. How you take all the attention off of me. Thank you Naruto-kun._" She activated her jutsu and the smoke cleared, Revealing a similar jutsu to Naruto's, this one however was Naruto himself with the same lack of apparel. Hinata quickly suppressed the jutsu and blushed, her embarrassment set to a new high. "I-I-I...I'm sorry Iruka-sensei."

"Uh...It's...ok, just head to the back of the line."

Hinata walked stiffly back into the line, Naruto blushing along with her. The day passed by with small tension, and Iruka had stated that the graduation exam would be the clone jutsu. Hinata nearly cringed at the mention of it.

"_My worst jutsu, I'm going to fail, I just know it!_" Her gaze shifted over to Naruto, who had the same look of defeat. "_Naruto...you too know my problem. We both could never do it...well at least we'll be together for another year._"

"Class dismissed."

Naruto sat at a swing, looking at the other students. All of them were having fun and playing games, Practicing taijutsu, and other skills. Naruto spotted Hinata and Kaben together, talking amongst themselves. He just watched on, feeling that they needed their space.

"So, mind telling me about what happened with today's test?"

"Oh, um, I...uh." Hinata had hoped it would have been forgotten.

"Nevermind, Naruto did enough to make that thing look small. So, what about the graduation? I understand Hiashi merely taught you Jyuuken, your family's special combat skill. You hadn't taken time to practice many other jutsus?"

"He works me too hard, I go straight to bed after training. And now...now I'm going to fail..."

"Well, just do your best. I'll be rooting for you, and Naruto will no doubt be as well."

Iruka walked up to Naruto and looked at him watching the girls. He merely smiled and patted the boy on the head.

"You're gonna clean that up, you know?"

"Enh, I don't mind."

"You do it all for Hinata, don't you?"

Naruto froze, unable to find a response.

"I understand why you defend her. You do all this to get everyone to pay attention to you, rather than her. You're a true friend, never lose that light, Naruto."

Mizuki just stared at them from a distance, A cunning plan forming in his head. "I'll have my rewards, just you wait. We'll just see how long this friendship lasts..."

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And this will be the last chapter for a while. I'm having development issues and can't work well within the first few episodes guidelines. So in the mean time, I'll be rewriting 6 Weeks alone and it's trilogy, and much more of my Naruto fics, and a few of my video game selections. keep an eye on my profile, I'll try and post which one my week is dedicated too.


	6. Extra Credit! It All Makes Sense

December 27th

CIL: i made a mistake, i posted the next chapter without posting this one, whoops, looks like i spoiled the plot for alot of you. may bad, i'll make sure it doesn't happen again.

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"Next student, Nishikon Kumo," Mizuki called from the open door of the examination room.

A student with a tarantula held firm to his back entered the room. The door closed and his fate was unknown to the other students.

"Man, this is killing me," Naruto said as he stretched. "When is my turn!?"

"I thought you couldn't do a decent clone, Naruto-kun," Kaben laughed. "I'll be okay, but what about you Hinata-chan?"

"I-I am sure I can manage, I have strength from both of you."

The sound of the door opening alerted all of the students. The boy with the spider on his back walked out with not a sign of happiness or displeasure. Mizuki called in the next student.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"YEAH!" Naruto bolted through the crowds and even pushed Mizuki aside and entered the classroom.

"Ok Naruto. You are aware what you need to do, right? Make a working clone, and you can graduate." Mizuki sat down and held a paper and pencil, ready to mark his performance.

"Right." Naruto formed the hand signs and gathered his chakra, trying as hard as he could to make one decent clone.

After several moments of grunts and groans the signature smoke from a jutsu came forth. Waiting for the smoke to clear Naruto and his judges watched as to see if it worked. A few more seconds and the smoke was gone, revealing a perfect clone.

"Well done Naruto." Iruka-sensei marked something down on his paper. "Ok, you can go."

"YEAH!" Naruto high-fived his clone, an action which sparked a small gasp of surprised from his judges. "Oh, man this is awesome!"

"Yeah, we passed!"

"Let's go tell Hinata and Kaben" The two Naruto's rushed outside the class room, leaving the proctors in awe.

"Interesting...eh Iruka?"

"More like amazing. Do you think...?"

"No, he couldn't possibly have that kind of chakra. This must have just been a fluke."

"Right, let's call the next one in."

Naruto rushed and gave a big hug to his friends before announcing his exciting graduation. The blushing Hinata nearly turned white at Naruto's excited greeting. Kaben merely ripped him off her with a vine and gave him congratulations.

"So you managed to do it? And a solid one at that."

"Huh?" Naruto was confused. "What do you mean? Aren't they supposed to be solid?"

"No, merely illusions that interact with the physical environment. You used a Jounin level jutsu."

"Really? Wow, isn't that great Hinata?" Naruto looked over at his clone, whom seemed to have the dead girl limp in his hands.

"I don't know what happened? I didn't do a thing." The clone just looked dumfounded.

"I am sure she just got excited, give her a moment." Kaben was making sure she wasn't giving away any hints as to what she knew exactly had happened. She spotted the clone give her a hug, she fainted when it nearly pressed their lips together when it came in closer to rub their cheeks together.

"Kaben Ha," Mizumi called for the next student.

"Ok, time to plant the seeds of my excellence...no pun intended." Kaben laughed at her own joke.

Several students entered for the test, each passing. Soon it came time for Hinata to show her skills, after a few moments recovering from her embarrassing trauma. She entered the room with uneasy fear, knowing her jutsu's had not yet been worked on thoroughly enough. Hiashi-sama spent most of his time teaching her the family fighting style, Jyuuken. None of her time was spent molding chakra or practicing tactics. The watchful eyes of the examiners were not helping her confidence either. She haste fully made the signs and summoned her clone, knowing her haste was going to cost her. The clone was made, and her fate sealed. The clone was able to stand, but not much else; its mouth agape with drool running down her chin, her eyes blank without life, and the skin was pale. Iruka and Mizuki just stared with unease, not wanting to state its utter lack of [acceptance.

"Well, its fairly good," Mizuki said with a smile. "Considering it can still stand, it's close."

"But not good enough for a pass," Iruka stated harshly. "I can't make an exception to anyone."

Hinata sunk her head in disappointment, she left the class with a slump, her eyes holding back the tears.

The news wasn't verbally submitted to her friends, but from her defeated sobs they knew what had happened. Later in the day the graduates all huddled together outside the front of the academy with their parents and were all rewarded and congratulated. Kaben's parents took her back to the house for a ceremony of their own. Naruto was left to watch Hinata alone by a solitary tree. Looking on in sorrow at the graduates' happiness. He was about to take a step when Mizuki appeared in front of him.

"You wanted her to pass with you so much, didn't you?"

Naruto was stunned for a moment, unable to reply.

"You're real good friends with her, I can see that. So maybe I can let you in on a little secret. An extra credit assignment for her..."

"_Extra credit?!_"

\/\/\/

"E-Extra credit?" Hinata seemed puzzled at Naruto's offer.

"Yeah. Mizuki-Sensei said so, he even has a place in mind where you can train in secret. Isn't that great?"

"Hardly believable to me. But then again, I'm a sceptic to everything," Kaben said with a laugh. "I say take it, he is our teacher, he'd know an extra credit assignment worthy of your talents."

"Well..." Hinata was hesitant. She could feel a small sense of danger in the air, or maybe Naruto just layed an SBD.

"Well then it's settled, Hinata is gonna join us as a ninja! I can't wait. Well, I gotta go, I'm going to go see if Sakura wants to have lunch with me, hehe." Naruto ran of with a large grin, leaving Hinata to watch him walk away.

"N-Naruto..." She sighed dejectedly, then looked over at Kaben. "Ever since Sasuke, that's when this all started."

"I can see why he'd be into her. He is attracted to the aspect of her name, and the small amount of beauty she has with it. She is named from a flower, yet to me, her name should be Rose, for it has thorns as cruel as her."

"Kaben!"

"Hey, you're the one that needs to be the lady, I call them as I see them. You're going to have to do a lot more to get his attention, Hinata-Chan. Hard work always pays off, nothing will be too much."

"I only hope that, at the very least, I will be on a team with one of you two..."

It would be later that day Naruto would infiltrate the treasury and steal the scroll of sealing, Mizuki would awaken Iruka, and the hunt for the girl would begin.

"Iruka-Sensei! Iruka-Sensei wake up!"

"What?" Iruka called from the other side of the door before he opened it.

"It's Naruto, he's stolen the sacred scroll!"

"You mean...The scroll of sealing!"

The third Hokage called every available hand to the tower and began instructing them on catching the plucky prankster.

"I want him alive, we can't kill him he's just a kid, but he will be severely punished if this is a prank of his! Go! Bring Naruto back here immediately!"

Mizuki ran straight for the area he and Naruto had earlier discussed to train in secret. Hinata would be waiting there for him as well. Iruka had taken to all of Naruto's hiding spots and even casual hangouts, but he was nowhere to be found.

"_Where could he be?_" He leapt off in ninja fashion, leaving only a blur where he last stood.

Hinata and Naruto were sitting at a nearby abandoned hut. Hinata had opened the scroll and began reading the text before her.

"_Multi-Shadow clone Jutsu, Oh great. First one is my worst technique!_" Behind her Naruto was reading over her shoulder at another jutsu.

"_Black Art Ninjutsu? Unlock your inner spirit? It's all smudged and nearly unreadable. But I can make out the hand signs needed..._"

The two practiced for hours, summoning chakra, attempting the jutsu. When they were both ready to call it a day, Iruka-Sensei showed up to break their spirits.

"Naruto!" Iruka stared him directly in the eyes. "You're going to pay for this prank!" Iruka struck him on the back of the neck, knocking the boy out.

"Wait! Iruka-Sensei, this is no prank!" Hinata pleaded with the man. "Mizuki-Sensei told him to take this scroll, he said if I were to learn a jutsu from this scroll you'd let me pass."

"_Mizuki told him that?_"

"That's right Iruka!" Mizuki was standing on a large branch behind him. He threw a swarm of kunai and pinned the man to the wall of the building. "To bad you couldn't figure that out on your own. Or is it that your eyes are blind cause of the lies you've had top tell to this poor girl?"

"Mizuki, what are you trying to do!"

"I'll tell you, I'm going to kill the Kyuubi No Kitsune!"

"What?" Hinata was slightly confused about this. "Mizuki-Sensei, why are you hurting Iruka-Sensei?"

"He's been lying to you Hinata. Everyone has, in this whole entire village."

"_Lying..._" "About what?"

"Mizuki, don't tell her! It's forbidden!"

"12 years ago this village was attacked by a demon fox, whom was defeated at the cost of the Fourth's life by sealing it inside an infant...YOU! Ever since that day a decree was made, no one was allowed to speak about what lay inside you. You're not allowed to know that the nine-tailed fox lives inside you! You are the nine-tailed fox!"

Hinata's eyes almost filled with tears because of her memories of her time alone in the hut, all the cruelty in the school. This explained it, everything was because of something she couldn't control, a choice forced on her.

"And now, I'm going to kill you, and the whole village will be glad to be rid of you!" Mizuki spun a large shuriken with his hand and threw it at the young girl. Iruka cried out to her and launched himself in the path of the weapon. It lodged itself into his back, forcing him to cough out a small amount of blood.

"Run Hinata, get away from him!"

"Why not tell her about why you lied so much to her Iruka? Why you hate her so much? The fox killed your parents, why protect it?"

"Shut up! I don't hate you, I'm protecting you, now run!"

"You just want to keep the scroll yourself, and when you turn her in, they'll torture her and ask her what she was doing with it?. You sure you want to listen to him Hinata? Give me the scroll, and together we can take revenge on the village and the people who lied to you!"

Hinata was becoming more and more confused. She was almost crushing her temples trying to silence the voices in her head. In the blink of an eye she ran deeper into the woods, leaving Iruka to fall on the ground in pain.

"You saw that look in her eyes, didn't you? She's going to use that scroll to take revenge on the village, and then who knows what havoc she'll cause from there."

"No..." Iruka pulled the large star from his back and threw it with all his strength towards Mizuki. He dodged and the star took out several trees and branches behind him. "You're wrong, she's not like that. She has friends here, she won't destroy the village if it will put all of them in danger."

"Oh, such a fool. You think that really matters? She probably thinks they know and were lying too. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a scroll to get my hands on.

Hinata ran through the tree tops with great anger and speed. Tears filled her eyes and rage was flowing through her mind.

"_Everyone, even my own family...that's why I was excluded. My pain is all from them...but...but then..._" Images of Naruto and Kaben flashed before her eyes. She hid behind a large tree to take in all the memories of her friends. "_Did they know? Did they care? Will they care? C-Could I really have met them...if I weren't this way? Am...Am...I lucky to have this gift...?_"

A large thump and an impact from behind her alerted her. She sat holding the scroll protectively in her arms.

"Why do you protect her, Iruka!? She's nothing but a beast! And beasts are just raging animals, just like me. She'll pour all her rage into the scroll and destroy everything."

"Hmmph...you're right"

"_What?! E-Even Iruka-Sensei?_"

"That _is_ how beasts are. But Hinata is different; she has friends, and friends who care for her. She's trying against all odds to become a ninja, and show everyone what she truly is: the Hyuuga heiress!"

"You really believe that dribble? Iruka, I was going to save you for later but I changed my mind. Your You're finished!"

Mizuki ran in, spinning his last star in his hands. He dashed at Iruka with full intent to kill. Hinata quickly bolted in and tackled Mizuki, forcing the star to fly off in another direction and catching Mizuki off guard.

"Keep your hands off him!" Hinata stood in front of Iruka, holding her fingers crossed, ready for a jutsu.

"Sneaky little bitch. I hope you're ready for your last moments on this earth."

"Go ahead! I'll kill you before you even touch me! SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

In the blink of an eye the entire section of the forest was covered with Hinata clones. Mizuki was without words, even his breath seemed to struggle to get out.

"If you're not going to throw the first punch, I will!" The Hinata clones all closed in with single minded blindness. Mizuki was unable to fight back against so many. The fight soon turned into a one sided beat down. Moments later, Mizuki lie on the ground, pummelled to an inch of unrecognising him.

"Sorry...maybe I went a little too hard on him..."

Iruka just smiled and chuckled painfully. "The shadow clone jutsu? You must have been practicing before I caught you..."

Hinata's shy laugh confirmed his suspicions. "Well, being that you saved my life, maybe we can work out something with the Hokage. After all it wasn't your idea to take the scroll"

Hinata worried still. "A-And...What of my father?"

"Well, he may already know. But I'll put in a good word, we'll make sure he can't do anything bad. Oh..." Iruka placed his hand on his headband. "I guess I can finally congratulate you. Mastering a jutsu like that, You [you pass, Hinata Hyuuga."

Hinata's face seemed to freeze, her joy was not present on her face, and her thoughts froze. She turned white and started to fall forward, she was exhuasted [exhausted, and the news was just to much for her.

Iruka just chuckled. "I guess I'll tell you tomorrow then..."

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	7. Graduation! Believe it! Team 7 Survial!

December 27th

CIL: Well, it seems i've fallen ill on my daily, heck even weekly updates. It seems work is not long enough for me to think up ideas now. That and i jump around to much. Thinking of new stories and ideas for what is not on the weeks focus. It looks like i'll be dropping the weekly focus idea now, hehe sorry guys. But, I am honestly going to finish this. Well the first season of it anyway, then maybe take a break to catch up on other fanfics, like the mario one i've forgotten all about. Sorry to bore you like this, now it's time for the make it or break it chapter, where i screw around with the teams, and you meet the last of my three OC ninja. Please review on this one, i want to know if i've screwed up already...

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The annoying sound of an alarm filled the air. The sleepy eyed brat woke from his peaceful rest by throwing the annoyance out of his window, to the unluckiness of a passer by. After his memorized routine, Naruto's eyes woke up fully and began taking in the day. Looking at his headband on the desk before him he smiled, his eyes then drifted to a picture of him, Kaben, and Hinata all standing together, days after their first week in the academy. Hinata displayed a smile but her form showed abuse and unhappiness. Naruto gave an annoyed smirk with his analysis of the picture then headed out of his room.

"Maybe I'll walk her to school. She'll tell me if she passed or not, I mean, she'll at least want to see us off right?" Naruto scratched his head, and silently wondered who he was asking the question to. "Her house is on the way to Kaben's, I'll just go say hi."

\/\/\/

Kaben emerged from a giant flower in her garden, her body lightly doused in a coat of dew. Her uncovered body began to sprout leaves and the buds resting behind her ears bloomed. She opened her green eyes with a yawn and strechted, inspecting her garden as she did. Everything seemed to be in order. She dripped the dew on her arms into a glass and drank of the liquid, feeling refreshed she headed to a nearby spring to soak her body and relax a little more.

"Naruto and I have graduated. Hinata has taken the extra credit assignment. From the sounds of the leaves, she has had quite the adventure with the assignment. But they leave out information, like someone has forced the information out of them. Perhaps the village is just concerned with my ability and think I might try and learn secrets. All common sense for people who know what I am...a monster, why can't they just accept that it's just a ninja technique. I depend on nature to grow a bond with it; this is the teachings of the Ha clan." She sighed in disgust. "Well, I suppose there is no point in getting angry about it, I'll just head to the academy and have fun with whatever team I get placed in..."

\/\/\/

Hinata waited outside the gates of the Hyuuga compound. She wanted to meet Naruto on his way to the academy and tell him the good news about the events of last night, and to see if he made a full recovery after Iruka knocked him out. She hid her headband just inside her sleeve so Naruto couldn't see it; she wanted to see if she could pull a fast one on him, a prank as she called it.

"_Naruto, you've helped me so much. You've given me strength when I ran out, courage when I felt defeated, and now...you've given me a dream to pursue. I'm going to be the best ninja I can be...and hopefully...just maybe...be your...loving-_"

"HEY HINATA!" Naruto burst out of a balloon just behind her with as much noise and confetti as possible.

Hinata tried to keep her heart from bursting through her ribcage and exploding. She turned around and gave the boy a much deserved slap.

"What are you trying to do, kill me!?"

Naruto turned his head around to look her in the eye, he chuckled a bit as he rubbed the sore hand print on his face. "Sorry, you were just standing there so I thought I'd surprise you..."

Hinata couldn't follow through with her plan now, Naruto did the better prank. She slid the headband out of her sleeve and showed it with a smile to Naruto. "I passed! Can you believe it?"

Naruto froze with a grin of sheer pleasure on his face. "Can I!? Heck, I knew you would right from the start!" He lied through his teeth just to make sure she would be just as happy.

"Naruto...We should head to the academy now, they should be assigning the teams today..."

"Yeah, come on, I bet Kaben is waiting on us, too."

\/\/\/

After meeting with Kaben, the three headed straight to the academy and entered the classroom with wide grins, or Naruto at least. Hinata took her usual seat near the door, Kaben sat beside her. But Naruto became distracted, he saw Sakura fawning over Sasuke at another table. Naruto stomped over and jumped on the desk, right in front of Sasuke and stared him down. The friction caused sparks to shoot from their eyes at each other, or maybe that was just a jutsu. A student clumsily bumped Naruto and forced his body forward, No one in the room was ready for what they saw. Naruto had beaned Sasuke right where it counts, a head butt right to the berries. Sasuke rolled over in grief as his pride took a great toll.

"I-I'm going to destroy you, N-Naruto!"

"You think you got it bad, I probably gotta wash my hair now!"

"NARUTO!" Nearly all the women in the class shot him a fierce glare. "You better not have done any permanent damage!" Sakura said as she cracked her knuckles.

Moments later Iruka entered the classroom, and gave a surprised look at Naruto, he looked like he got into a fight with hippo with brass knuckles. He greeted the class and said he'd now be dividing the class into three man squads.

"When you hear your name, head to the empty class room marked on the paper you receive and wait for your instructors. Ok, first, team 7: Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha..."

"YES! WOO-HOO-HO! In your face, Ino!" Sakura resisted the urge to get on the desk and dance.

"-and Juzou Aramaki."

Sasuke and the Juzou lad glanced over at each other with equal stubbornness. "Great," they said dryly, meaning to insult the other.

"_Great, the number 1 and 2 cool guy ninja. Sakura, you're going to pay!_" Ino silently cursed under her breath.

"You will be assigned to room 19, wait for you instructor there. Now Team 8: Kaben Ha, Naruto Uzumaki..."

Hinata couldn't take the suspension of the 2 seconds before the last name to be said, her hands trembled on the desk. "Hinata Hyuga."

"YES!" Hinata nearly jumped out of her chair. But the voice she had hoped only to be in her head drew the unneeded attention she did not want. With a bright red blush coming to her face she hid her face and began mentally calming herself down.

"You are in room 12, wait there for your Sensei. Team 10: Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Arubame, and Nishikon Kumo. Classroom 27."

"_A team of animal users...interesting._" Shino got up and headed out of the classroom.

"Team 11 Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, And Choji Akimichi."

"NOOOOOO!" Ino nearly died on her desk. "_Of all the people..._"

The day went on slowly. The teams were made and the students waited for their proper instructors. Earlier that day it was all decided how the teams would be split apart, some had to fight to get the point across that some ninja can't work together...

(Early that day)

The Hokage sat at his table with his glass ball between his hands, images of all the students passed before it as every instructor judged each student. Kakashi was first to comment on the students.

"What a bunch we have this year. A hyper prankster, several giddy young girls, and other quirks. I only see two promising students out of the whole bunch."

"Always the picky one, eh Kakashi?" Karei laughed at her own joke. "Naruto has more skill then the rest of them, he's challenged and beat the ANBU, can any other student say that?"

"Karei, do you forget that you too are in the roster to teach a team?"

"What!? No! No way! I can't do that!"

"Cause you're not a ninja? Stop using that excuse, you have been given those rights back."

"Ah man, come on! I just want to sit back and enjoy the rest of my life."

"Not after that deal you made, your working off the damages. Consider this punishment," The Hokage spoke.

"Well, if you want a recon special group, I can see several mixes we can have, any combination of the Inuzuka child, The Hyuuga, Arubame, or Kaben Ha will do."

"Hmm, interesting. But will none of you take Naruto? We need to make a team fair with him."

"No one can stand the child, he's just a prankster." Kakashi said in his blank voice. "I'll take h-"

"Halt!" Karei stood up. "Hokage, I'll take my duty as a teacher, but not solo."

"Hmm?" The hokage let his pipe sag on his lip for a second.

"Kurenai, Take Naruto, Kaben and Hinata. Naruto is an excellent trapper, he'll be able to cover you in case caught. I'll train them and any other team members in advanced assassination skills."

Kurenai and the Hokage looked at her strangely, her face filled with determination.

"Very well. Kurenai, do you agree with this?"

"Hmm..." She looked at the orb, she saw the three happily talking to each other. She noticed that Hinata looked very uncomfortable, her eyes would watch Naruto with the fiercest attentiveness she had ever seen. But when his eyes would turn to hers she would stare at the ground and falter her words. "_Hmm, looks like there will be more then ninja training in that team..._" "Yes, I will teach those three"

"I will teach Arubame, Inuzuka, and my son," a man with a large black widow on his shoulder spoke.

"I'll have the three kids with the fathers that worked together before," Asuma said taking a puff of his cigarette.

"And I guess I'll have Sasuke Uchiha, Juzou Aramaki, and Sakura," Kakashi said sounding like he was defeated.

"Very well, you are dismissed. You will meet your teams at lunch."

\/\/\/

Team 7 waited in the classroom for their sensei with uneasy silence. Both Juzou and Sasuke took opposite sides of the room and stared at each other on the edge of their vision, leaving Sakura to stay back, afraid that if she were to get between them something horrible might happen. Hours passed with no sign of their teacher coming. Several more minutes passed before the door creaked open.

A man with white hair up like he's been falling since he was born stood in the doorway. His face was almost entirely covered with a mask and his band. His only visible eye could give away his lax nature to anyone attuned to tell.

"Greetings, sorry I'm late, I forgot the class number."

They couldn't believe his excuse and nearly ripped his ear off in complaint.

\/\/\/

"Ok, time to get on with our tasks. But first, perhaps we should get to know each other. Get to know our likes, dislikes, hopes and dreams, that kinda stuff."

"What? What are you talking about?" Sakura questioned Kakashi.

"What I said exactly."

"Why don't you go first, so we know what to say," Sakura said, thinking she could get something gold from it.

"Well, let's see. My name is Kakashi Hatake, my likes and dislikes...can't say I really have any. Hobbies...I have lots of them. And dreams? Hmm, can't say really."

"_Great, that worked. All I got was his name._"

"You, with the armor on, tell us about yourself."

With a scuff of disgust he started to speak. "I am Juzou Aramaki, of the Aramaki Clan of the West. I enjoy combat and honorable opponents, I dislike Ninja tactics and unfair play. I spend my time practicing Family jutsu and Kenjutsu. And I hope to find my mother and father and kill the man who took them away from me..." His last relieving breath seemed more like a demonic snort. His hands were clearly clenching each other with great force.

"Ok, you there, the girl."

"Oh, I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like is...I mean, it's more a who...my hobby is...my dreams?..." Sakura could barely control her giggling.

"And? What do you hate?  
"Naruto!"

"_Seems she's more into fantasizing than Ninja training._" "You there, you're next."

"I, am Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, it will be a reality. I am going to restore my clan, and destroy...a certain...someone."

"_Just as I thought..._" "Good, you're all unique. We'll have our first mission tomorrow."

"A mission? What kinda mission?"

"A survival exercise..."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

And sorry to any fans that enjoy the Naruto kissing Sasuke scene, I just can't write that way, makes me feel al icky. so i went with an equally embarrassing scenario that would still provoke the gril to beat him up. review please.


	8. Juzou Aramaki, Samurai Supreme!

Dec 27th

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It was yet to be sunrise, not even the birds were up to chirp. The three genin were told to skip breakfast and wait at this training area early the next morning. Sakura grumbled to herself, lamenting her choice not to eat dinner the day before. Sasuke and Juzou, however, made things interesting for themselves with small chit chat.

"A samurai clan, huh? Then what are you doing in a ninja village?"

"As I stated, I am training. I am no Ronin, I was trained in both disciplines by my mother and father."

"So what kind of Jutsu do you know?"

"Many you will see when I fight, but I suppose there is no threat in showing you the Kekkei Genkai."

Juzou placed his fingers in the form for the tiger, then began cycling through hand signs at a near blinding speed. After a few seconds he activated the jutsu, calling forth "Chakra Barrier Jutsu!". His eyes changed to a blue color with a pattern similar to the Sharingan. He looked over at Sasuke who had no change of expression.

"Chakra barrier?"

"Yes, my mother's technique, combined with my fathers defensive training. This ability drains my own chakra heavily, and since I have limited ninja training that means it won't last very long. This ability allows jutsu that use the same amount of chakra or less then my current bank; you can see how this helps."

"The longer you use it, the less they can use against you." Sakura stated with matter of fact style.

"Correct. However, if I completely drain my bank, I won't be able to build chakra for one year's time. So I must be very careful with it." He deactivated the jutsu and sat down on the road in recovery.

Minutes later, Kakashi strolled onto the scene with a casual grin, from what they could tell. With a hand scratching the back of his head he said a black cat cut him off, hence his tardiness. Again, the children retaliated in disbelief.

Kakashi set a timer on a cut log and clicked the button on top.

"Ok, you have until noon to complete this exercise. All you simply have to do is this..." He grabbed two bells from his pocket and jingled them. "Take these bells from me." He then placed two lunches near the timer. "Who ever gets these bells gets lunch."

"_So that's why he had us skip breakfast_." Sakura groaned with her stomach. "But there are only two bells. One of us will be guaranteed not to get lunch."

"Precisely, so you'd best make sure you get one. You can use any jutsu and tool to your liking, just come at me with intent to kill."

"But Sensei, that's too dangerous, you could get hurt!"

"Don't worry about me, you're the ones that need to pass, remember?"

"This is going to be fun," Juzou said with a large, nearly evil grin.

"Ready..." Kakashi took a deep breath. "GO!"

In a flash the three genin disappeared. Before Kakashi could explain what the first lesson was, Juzou charged at him with blade in hand. Kakashi simply kicked his foot getting the low blow on the lad.

"First lesson is concealing oneself; make sure the enemy can not find where you are, so that surprise is a guarantee. Got that?"

"Clear as a bell." Juzou said with pained groans.

Several minutes passed, and Kakashi could not find a trace of any of the genin. He mentally applauded them all, then began to take things seriously. He took one step and something came rushing out of the bushes at him; Kakashi thrust his palm into the object's midsection. The object creaked with the force of the attack; Kakashi caught wind of what it was as it flew off into the brush. "Bamboo armor?" Kakashi quickly jumped the attack from behind and thrust his legs down hard on Juzou's back, stopping him in his tracks.

"Again you attempt to surprise me when you do not have the upper hand."

"I am sure you really didn't see the bamboo armor trick." Juzou said with pride.

"I admit, giving mobility to an inanimate object is a good way to surprise someone."

"Good." With little warning the armor returned with blade at its side.

It swung hard at Kakashi. He blocked the sword with the metal guard on his hand and thrust his palm once more into the armor. Upon impact he felt a small sting shoot through his arm. "_What!?_" Kakashi looked back to see Juzou with a finger near his neck. "_Damn he hit a pressure point!_"

"_Damn! Not enough force to do much than tickle him!_" Juzou leapt back and called back his armor and sword.

"I must admit, you have more talent than I first thought. A samurai/ninja combination will surely be a hard act to follow. But too bad your only weapon is that Sakabatou."

"So you realized that I was hoping to get the upper hand mentally. But it looks like I'll need to use force." He began channeling chakra for a jutsu. He held his sword out and let it go, leaving it floating there. He then began forming hand signs and chanting. Multiple images of his sword began replicating from the original, not illusions, but solid replicas.

"Juzou Blade Jutsu! Steel Cloud!" He rushed at Kakashi with the swords floating nearby him.

He slashed with all his might at his Sensei, Kakashi blocked the attack and the blade shattered, leaving metal shrapnel floating in the air. Juzou disappeared and attacked at a new angle, keeping Kakashi on his toes. Every sword and every strike, wore down Kakashi until there was only one sword left, and a million pieces of shrapnel floating around him.

"_Oh no! I fell straight into the trap!_"

Juzou held his hands out wide and then brought them in to a clap. The shrapnel lunged at Kakashi with great force, piercing every part of his body. Juzou just chuckled as he walked up to the body and reached for a bell. Before he could grab one he felt a strange sting on his behind.

"Secret Finger Jutsu! Thousand Years of Death!" Juzou flew through the air in pain and embarrassment. Kakashi just chuckled slightly as he removed one piece of shrapnel from his arm. "Remind me to watch out for that move again..."

"_He managed to escape from that? Without alerting Juzou or moving any shrapnel? All with only one wound!?_"

"_What kind of jutsu was that?_" Sakura said with displeasure.

Juzou emerged from the small lake near Kakashi, his hair lost its hold and was flat down his back. Juzou took a few moments to catch his breath before he returned to a combative stance. Kakashi seemed surprised at his lack of weakness.

"Strange, many of the others would be begging for food at this point..."

Juzou quelled his stomach to stay silent a little longer. "_He's fully aware of our hunger, but with the stamina of a samurai warrior I can take a small amount of hunger..._" "You're done playing around, it's time to prove your actual ability sensei!" Juzou held his sword with two hands in front of him, and stood in a completely symmetrical form. His eyes became fierce and he stared down his opponent.

Kakashi just looked at him with a small stare of amusement. "Ninja technique number two, genjutsu, the art of illusions...Lets see what this one does."

"Juzou Family Special Jutsu! Statue of Anger!" Juzou's body instantly petrified, turning to stone in the blink of an eye.

Kakashi seemed surprised at first but held his calm demeanor. "And ninjutsu...he's combining all the training of a ninja into one technique." Kakashi quickly spun on his heel and threw a punch through an illusionary Juzou; he sensed an attack from above and arched his back to avoid the blade strike. Another clone came in with a tripping attack, Kakashi saw through the illusion and let the image phase through his leg. Series of attacks from illusions came at all angles, many mixed with real objects or fused with sticks and other objects to give them solid features. Kakashi got tired of playing around and used a substitution to get out of the illusionary assault and stood behind the statue. He gave it a hard tap on the head. As soon as contact was made, images starting running through Kakashi's mind, each one of horrid detail, provoking his inner rage. His eye twitched as each image slowly became more and more grotesque. Eventually he let out a small growl and drew a kunai and lunged it into the statues neck. Juzou quickly released the jutsu and evaded the attack, rolling a safe distance away from the enraged jounin. Kakashi was barely managing to keep control.

"_W...What are you doing to me!? Raaarrgh!_"

"It's an affliction jutsu, as the name states, contact with the statue provokes rage. The illusions are there for your protection, if I knew how to make solid clones this jutsu would have a much more useful effect."

"_Interesting, he develops a jutsu before he has all the needed training, making the process of developing and mastering a jutsu slightly less grueling._" Sasuke smiled a the genius of his partner.

"_Wow! I'm going to be on the best team ever!_" Sakura blushed. "_Eat your heart out Ino!_"

Kakashi managed to get his hands together and break the spellbinding jutsu. He fixed his hair and looked at the boy. "Well, you are proving to be quite versatile, but the object is to get the bells from me, not earn my respect."

"I know, but it's fun to see that I am on the same level as a jounin." Juzou was about to laugh smugly when a shadow clone chopped at his neck, paralyzing the boy.

"You think you get it don't you..." Kakashi slowly walked up to the boy. "It's not about showing off or out lasting your opponent, even a tired ninja can still manage to fight back." Kakashi bent down and poked at the back of the boys head, continuing his lecture.

"_Now! He's let his guard down!_" Sasuke quickly threw a handful of ranged tools at Kakashi.

Kakashi took the barrage of flying metal objects and flew several feet in the other direction. Within a second the substitution was revealed and Sasuke quickly ran from his hiding spot. "Damn, now he knows where I am, gotta hide and fast!"

"Sasuke!" Sakura quickly sat up and turned around, only to be face to face with Kakashi.

"Hi." He said casually.

Sakura couldn't handle the surprise and fainted on the spot. Kakashi just chuckled and stood out in the open.

Moments later, Sasuke stood before him with a look of determination. Kakashi just stared at him blankly, like all of this was just some happy dream. The training session lasted until the bell at noon, and none of the team had managed to get a bell. Sasuke was able to touch one, and Juzou had dinged one with a metal shard. Kakashi sat them down near the logs and sighed disappiontedly.

"You all have no idea what this whole exercise was about, do you? Do you have any idea why they are _three_ man squads?"

All three of them seemed puzzled at this little bit of information that, until now, seemed just minor.

"For team work and ease of completion...?" Juzou said half heartedly like his last statement was meant to be more of an apology.

"Precisely. You, Juzou, you're so bent up on your Samurai code that you went at me alone with all your might, thinking your skills with a sword could outmatch an unarmed opponent. Sakura, you did nothing but watch as both of your teammates battled on. And you, Sasuke, thought that your teammates are _so_ below your level that you believed they would only drag you down."

"Gomen..." they all apologized, as though it would be enough to have their sensei stop raising his voice.

Kakashi sighed. He handed them two lunch boxes. "Here, only two of you may have lunch. Decide wisely who should have them, if I find out that any one of you had part of the other's lunch, you're all being dropped from the program!" With that, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Juzou grabbed the lunches and stared at them in deep thought.

"Here..." He handed each of the others the lunches. "Though I have gone three days without food, I can manage these next few hours."

"What?" Sakura couldn't believe her teammate. "No, you have it, I can go without it, I'm on a diet anyway."

"Just take it Sakura." Sasuke said with a sharp tone. "Juzou, have some of mine."

"What?" Juzou seemed confused. "You heard him, we'll be dropped if he find out about this!"

"He's not around; as long as he doesn't see it then he won't know."

"Sasuke, you can't surely be-"

"Shut up! Just take it!"

Juzou didn't argue anymore, he grabbed a large slab of cooked fish and ate it with the up most gatitude. "Thank you Sasuke, I owe you one."

"YOU!!!" Kakashi emerged from nowhere with a devilish tone to his voice. "You have broken the rules! I hope you are ready for your punishment!" Kakashi activated a jutsu which made the weather change to a stormy dark day. The children nearly huddled together in fear.

"You...YOU ALL...pass." Kakashi's last word seemed to clear the weather and cut the tension abruptly. Leaving the kids in a total state of confusion.

"But...how? Why? You said-"

"That if you feed the other you would fail. But you remembered my words about teamwork, sometimes you need to break the rules to do what's right. And you have learned that lesson well. Come on, let's finish our lunch then head out for a mission."

Team 7's labors were the toughest of all the rookie teams to make it out of the academy. Team 10 had a softer day, but it was not without its tension...

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

For those of you getting confused, I am just trying to give some back ground on my OC's, plus have fun with the teams, giving an intresting look on how things change. From here on in you'll get alot more of these, it's not just about Naruto and Hinata you know.


	9. Team 10! Go Beast Go!

December 27th

CIL: you people are not reviewing as expected, come on, how am i to know if i'm doing good, bad, or sub-par? If this story has died down then it'll get removed, and then you'll have the wrath of the other readers upon your hind end. Plus then you'll have destroyed my hopes of making an epic...

GRMB: Hello to all of those who read this! This is the beta speaking. I'm going to add a little ad here! If you are in need of a beta yourself, please contact me at Well… err… I have nothing much else to say… 

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"Greetings, I am Yahatsu Kumo. I am your instructor and Sensei. But before we get going we should get to know each other and our companions. You there, with the Puppy."

"Yo, I'm Kiba Inuzuka, and this here is Akamaru."

"Bark."

"Good, now tell us about why you became a ninja, and what you hope to become in the near future."

"Me and Akamaru are an unstoppable team! We are going to be the best team in the history books!"

"Interesting..." The man adjusted his tinted glasses and the spider on his shoulder chittered a comment only its master understood.

"Nishikon, you're next, inform the team of the same things."

"I am Nishikon Kumo, and this is Yakakyaku."

The large Tarantula on his back chittered in response, only the Sensei understood its words.

"It is my mission to unite all clans, instead of having each with pointless rivalries and wars inside the villages they inhabit. It is my hope to give peace between ninja worlds."

"Interesting...Aburame child, inform us."

"My name is Shino. I control an infestation of Destruction beetles. My mission is personal, and doesn't need to be known to my team, but perfection is the goal I and my family pursue."

"Hmm..." Yahatsu pondered to himself silently. After a few seconds of odd silence he looked at his team. "No doubt some of you have realized what kind of team this is?"

"A beast master team." Shino was the only one that responded.

"Correct, I expected your abilities in observation would give this away. We are a beast master group, and as your Sensei I am going to toughen you, your partner, and your abilities to make you all a formidable team. I and my wife are going to train all of you, I am the combat trainer and my wife will teach you how to tend to your pets and improve your friendship and bonds."

"May I ask why I am here then?" Shino raised his hand. "I do not have a pet like my partners, I have a colony. I am sure you are aware of that."

"Yes, I am fully aware of your colony. But it was a choice based on other observations that you where added to this team. For now, we are going to see how well your pets can perform Clone Jutsus. Have them imitate you, I will identify any flaws in their execution."

Without further instruction, the three young boys stood to the side and gave the commands. With a puff of smoke and a wild buzzing noise, a second set of each of them was displayed before Yahatsu. "Very good..." Yahatsu looked very closely at the Shino clone. With only a small groan his Spider launched at the clones face. Mere millimeters away from his face, Yahatsu grabbed the spider, but sadly the clone dispersed in an attempt to prevent any loss in numbers. "Image was perfect, however without you they lack the ability to foresee a taunt or fake move. Other then that you have very little to work on. Now then, Akamaru..."

He looks the clone up and down, seeing nothing flawed. He even tried scratching the belly and chin as most dogs enjoy, but it held, even with a serious tone. "Tell me your name." Yahatsu commanded the dog.

Silence.

"I said tell me your name." Yahatsu looked at the dog. "You can't talk as a clone can you?"

"No he can't Sensei. He's just a regular dog."

"I wasn't asking you, and even then, in this form he is human, he has vocal cords. This will be your objective: teach the boy to talk. And perhaps work on casual reactions, he tried to hard to conceal any action when I scratched him."

"Yes sir!"

"Now then, Nishikon?"

He looked at the clone very closely, seeing absolutely no mistakes. He even tried fake strikes and Tarantula soft spots. The clone acted as expected. "Very good..." The clone sighed in relief, but as she opened her mouth Yahatsu jammed his fingers into it and pulled out two fangs from the roof of her mouth. "And what's this?!" He pulled on the fangs until they were almost forced out, Yakakyayu screeched and transformed back with an angry chitter.

"I know you do that as defense precautions, but this was merely a clone exercise." He responded to the spider. "Very good all of you. Now then, see my wife at Area 12, your time will determine the quality of your partner's meal. GO!" With a small dust cloud Yahatsu was off running the roof tops. The three boys and their pets quickly followed suit.

Near ten minutes later, the boys arrived at Area 12, tired out from all the webbing they had to dodge.

"What the hell!...huff...huff. You set traps!? What kinda Sensei are you!?"

"That was me." A beautiful young woman in bright various colored robes and gowns stood up, she had clear glasses on, unlike the rest of her family's blackened and tinted ones. "It was merely a small test to see if you could foresee traps. It appears that your vision also needs to be improved."

"This is Yametsuki Kumo. She will teach you how to tend to your pets."

"But first an observation test. You obviously see the difference in our clothes, tell me, why do I dress this way, Nishikon do not give the answer."

"Predators often conceal themselves with their environments, making them harder to see, however, bright colors also warn predators of the danger of attacking this target." Shino said in matter of fact tone.

"Very good, now then, second observation test. This one will always be going, so you don't need to worry about getting it right away. Reifujin is not on me, but is hiding, watching all your movements. You must each find and capture her. Now then, time for the food. I am surprised you all made it at the same time. However, you are slower than expected. But, we shall introduce you to the special meals I shall feed each of you with jobs well done. Shino..." She pours a pile of dark purple pellets on a plate. "These are special pellets, containing chakra so that your bugs will feed on them, but they have an effect on their stomachs, allowing them to hold more chakra, hence allowing you to drain more from an enemy. Kiba..." She pours a bowl of green pellets for Akamaru. "These will steadily improve Akamaru's intelligence and his speed and strength, Making him easier to train under my husbands demanding regime. Nishikon..." She placed a cooked steak on a plate, evidence of spices and herbs have been added. "This is specially prepared to allow better chakra molding and reserves to Yakakyayu."

"My colony has strict diets I am unsure that these pellets are acceptable to add to their meals." Shino raised his hand concerned.

"It's ok, I had made sure to run this by your parents before giving it to you, they say it is acceptable."

"Now then, I must learn of your daily activities with your friends. Kiba?"

"I take Akamaru for walks in and outside the village almost daily. We train and play games, we pretty much do everything together."

"I see, Does Akamaru tell you what he wants to do?"

"Yeah, but chasing the cats is what he wants to do all day."

"Well, as bad as it is for the cats, give him some alone time to do things he wants. Other than that, you have made great progress as a tamer. Nishikon?"

"I train with our cousin in the ANBU squad, providing traps and webbing to hinder his progress. I also hunt and help builders."

"Do you listen to Yakakyayu from time to time?"

"She tends to just silently think to herself, not telling me anything about it."

"Hmmm..." Yametsuki thought to herself. "I'll look into it, it might be something over your head."

"Ok." Yahatsu called out to them. "After they are finished eating, you are free to go about your day. Remember the mission Yametsuki gave you."

"Yes sir!"

And so, closes the day for Squad 10. With high hopes Hinata's team might have more trouble coming their way...


End file.
